Hatch sat down with Christos, Marketing Coordinator at Qantas Group: Jetstar Holidays, to learn more about his early career journey.
What has your career journey looked like so far?
Christos: My first ever job was working at a golf course near my house, doing some casual shifts, but there weren't too many shifts. When COVID started, I started helping clean up at my mom’s orthodontic clinic.
After that, I did various hospitality jobs. I worked at Brunetti in Melbourne, which is a large café. I also worked in hotels, including The Langham in Melbourne. My undergrad degree was a Bachelor of Arts. Due to COVID, there weren't many career growth opportunities, so I had to self-source most of them. I finished my degree without much relevant work experience and decided I needed a career change. I pursued a Master's in International Sustainable Tourism Management at Monash University, which I’ve now graduated from!
During that degree, I did an internship at the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute, focusing on social media and communications. This helped me learn about social media but also showed me it wasn't my strength. I had also worked at Visit Victoria for a while, working in the digital product team which manages the content that goes onto the Visit Melbourne website, and I really loved working with web content, copywriting and the project coordination side of marketing. I have always loved aeroplanes and travel, so I noticed Qantas Group roles on LinkedIn through Hatch and started applying. Now I work as a Marketing Coordinator at Jetstar Holidays under Qantas Loyalty, based in Melbourne. I've been there for about 3 months now, focusing on campaign execution and coordinating marketing activities, which I enjoy.
What does your day-to-day look like?
Christos: A lot of my work involves executing campaigns and promoting Jetstar Holidays. The team has a calendar of campaigns, some of which we run ourselves and some are collaborative with other parts of the airline or tourism bodies. I have to create marketing collateral, liaise with relevant stakeholders, and execute on the campaigns. There's also a lot of ad hoc tasks to improve the web product for Jetstar Holidays and Qantas Holidays, ensuring the website is updated and all offers are available to the public. We work closely with a sales team to find good products and create travel packages.
What are the key skills needed to succeed at Qantas Group?
Christos: Key skills include organisation and staying on top of things, attention to detail, and the ability to adapt to last-minute changes. Being open-minded, creative, and willing to communicate and forge relationships with others in the business is crucial. These relationships help execute campaigns effectively. Communication and relationship-building skills are essential for working with various stakeholders in the company.
What excited you about this role?
Christos: I was drawn to Qantas Group because of their emphasis on their people and their strong branding. I also love aviation and knew Qantas and Jetstar had a lot of product development planned. I wanted to work for a dynamic company that's growing and making an impact. Qantas and Jetstar are iconic brands, and as a Marketer, they are brands I’m really excited to contribute to. Personally, my love for aviation and travel also aligns well with Qantas and Jetstar's values.
How has Qantas Group supported your career growth and development?
Christos: Qantas Group offers many opportunities for career growth and skill development. From the start, they've had me working on major campaigns, which is fantastic for building my CV and portfolio. There are various pathways to become a permanent employee and grow within the company. They treat everyone as part of the team from day one, and there's a clear structure for moving into different roles within Qantas Loyalty and other parts of Qantas Group.
What has been your favourite memory from working at Qantas Group?
Christos: One standout memory is attending a party called GayTE, which Qantas Hotels sponsored as part of the Australian Tourism Exchange in Melbourne. It was a celebration of LGBT+ inclusion, and many team members, even from other cities like Sydney and Brisbane, attended. It was a great opportunity to meet the team in person and socialise. There have been many other little moments and conversations that have been really nice, but that event was a highlight in terms of a social perspective, meeting the team, and getting involved in an event that a lot of people in the team worked hard to put together.
What are your team's values?
Christos: Our team values friendly and social interactions, work-life balance, and career growth. They emphasise the importance of doing your work and having a laugh with friends in the team, but also then going home to enjoy your evening with family or friends. I remember one specific day, there was a lot of work we needed to do for a campaign, and I said to my boss, "I'll stay back." He was like, "No, no, no, don't stay back. It's Friday."
There's a strong structure for career growth, with various pathways to move into different roles within the company. They value the people in their team and treat everyone the same, regardless of whether you start under a different program or as a contractor. You're part of a team that wants to work and grow, and you're treated as someone who wants to grow within the company.
How does your team like to work?
Christos: I think the collaborative aspect is really emphasised in the working style. The fact that everyone has something they’re really good at, and you go to people for specific tasks. You leverage the team’s strengths because everyone is working towards one shared goal. The team is very organised, which is important because there’s cross collaboration between different departments and between different cities.
There’s also a lot of consistency and precision, especially with the analytics involved. We look at stats and how different products have performed, which heavily influences our decisions. Everything is data-informed. But there’s also room for creativity. There are a lot of opportunities to experiment with different ideas.
Do you have any advice for other young professionals looking to land their first job?
Christos: Definitely! First of all, be yourself. Do the video and written tasks that Hatch includes in the job application. Fill out the application in as much detail as possible and highlight your skills. I rehearsed my video a few times and included experiences from work, life, or extracurricular activities. For example, in my written task, I described organising my high school formal, which showcased my event planning skills. Also, apply even if you don’t meet all the criteria. You never know what the hiring team is looking for. Be unique and showcase your best self. Persist, even if it takes multiple tries. Use each application as a learning experience.
Learn more about life at Qantas Group
We know that applying for roles is always daunting and challenging, but like Christos, we will always look at it like a new learning opportunity! Learn more about open roles and Life at Qantas on Hatch.
